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Marlins scouting Chapman

On a rare occasion will the Marlins find themselves bidding along with teams like the payroll-rich Red Sox.

So that tells you something about how rare a prospect Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman is.

The hard-throwing left-hander, who pitched for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic, will throw for big league scouts in Houston. A representative from the Marlins is on hand, as are officials from numerous other teams.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Dan Jennings, the Marlins vice president of player personnel, is in Houston to watch Chapman. MLB.com confirmed Florida has more than a passing interest. The team will evaluate him, and then look to see if signing Chapman is a possibility.

With a large Cuban population in South Florida, Chapman would naturally have wide appeal in the Miami area. His price tag, however, won’t be cheap. The Red Sox reportedly made a $15.5 million offer, which is regarded as the low-bar figure.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Chapman has had his fastball clocked at 102 mph. No matter which team he signs with, chances are he will open in Double-A before being promoted to the big leagues.

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